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The Joy of Software

I’ve written this PHP application. I work on a development server. Then I move code to a staging server for preliminary testing and client approvals. When the code is ready, it gets moved to a production server. In an ideal world, dev, staging, and production would all be configured identically. In the real world, you get different operating systems, different versions of the middleware application software (PHP, ColdFusion, .NET, etc.), different version of the databases, drivers don’t match, security patches are applied on one server but not another, and so forth.

So, this PHP application has a calendar piece for associating a date with a form collecting data. When adding a new thing, the form should have certain default values and the date should automagically show today’s date at 00:00 hours for the starting date and today’s date at 00:14 hours for the ending date. This works great on the development server. This works great on the staging server. But on staging, the date defaults to December 31, 2008 at 19:00 hours for the first date (the beginning date) and December 31, 2008 at 00:14 hours for the second date (the ending date).

It’s the little that make life so interesting and keep the padded rooms booked up.

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On Failed Communications

I just realized I have spent the entire day with my phone on silent. Wow! And what productive day it has been! But I’ve missed calls and text messages. For that, I apologize.

Also, yesterday I became away that I forgot to renew my CFNinja.com domain name last week. Fortunately there is a grace period for renewals but any mail sent to my cfninja.com email address on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday bounced. Several people let me know this last night. Again, my apologies and if you sent me an email over the past 4 days, please resend it. Thanks!

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The Dark Side of Working from Home

I’m under a lot of pressure right now. I’m trying hard to close out a project. The end of projects are always the most difficult because time and budget is usually running out. Often the client realizes they want features that either were never requested or not implemented for whatever reason. In using the product during testing, user interface issues arise or the enduser finds it would be easier with just this "one simple change". Those are generalizations to "many projects" and not necessarily talking about the one I am on. But today I have been really trying hard to reach a couple of very specific goals and it hasn’t gone as fast or as smoothly as planned.

Enter the children. Since its nearing 4pm, Sarah has to be picked up from the high school, which is right across the street from Party City aka Halloween Depot. So Amy and Cathy are off to get Sarah, costumes, and accessories leaving me with my computer and Evan until Noah gets home to babysit. Of course, Evan just wants to play with Dad so he comes down to my desk and starts moving things around. In his cuteness, he wants to help so while I type on one computer, he starts typing on the other and unknowingly messing up my test bed. I lose it. No tv Dad for me today. I’ll reserve 50 lashings for myself later when in great self-flagellation when I punish myself for my loss of temper. Of course, that won’t change the fact that I sent a crying 3 year old packing to an empty upstairs. I feel like crud. I should work at night while they sleep. I just cannot figure out when I’d sleep. Time to go make amends and give some hugs.

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jQuery’s datepicker driving me nuts

I love jQuery! And its UI library. But I’m having difficult implementing a simple date picker. The datepicker method is throwing an error for me: "inst is undefined datepicker" The solution of adding "{onSelect: function() {}}" did not work. I’m at the point of no return. Choosing a different calendar application.

Update: Solved! I had an artifact left over from trying to implement the Yahoo! User Interface (YUI) Library‘s calendar. jQuery’s UI datepicker conflict’s with YUI’s datepicker.

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Looking forward to November 5

I’ve wondered in this political season how many people who enjoyed a particular blog quit reading because of that person’s support for a particular candidate. I feel this election is very important and as such I have been very outspoken in support of Barack Obama. I hope that has not driven people away who have enjoyed Reality Me in the past. Recently, Cathy and I upset, and ran off, one reader that we assumed was passing through and making brief comments on blogs supporting Obama. We forgot that the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon taught us that all people are closely connected. In this case, our "passing" Republican was not a troll but a quiet reader of both our blogs who delurked for a political statement. I know this because it turns out she is a friend of my brother.

So, I’m looking forward to November 5, 2008, to cut back on some of the political posts and get back to the humor in life, some tech, pictures of my children, and news of the odd.

Blogging, at least mine, is an opinionated form of publishing that may be biased and at times without objectiveness. With its world-wide reach, the potential audience for a blog is huge. As such, the odds are someone is going to be disturbed, or offended. I can only hope that spurs some interesting conversations in comments and perhaps an opportunity to meet for coffee and discuss our differences. So if the Pro-Obamaness of Reality Me has driven you nuts, let’s have some coffee together and talk something other than politics. In the meantime, check out this great video from Obama!

And this transcription of his remarks in Canton, Ohio.

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Oh, Nebraska, not Target!

Big families should use the buddy system and we do. In the parking lot, before entering a store, Cathy chimes out the buddies: "Amy, you’re with Dad. Evan is with Sarah. Noah is with me." (Tommy is at the border of Kentucky and Tennessee) As the children have grown older, they gain a little independence. For instance, in Target, Noah in the Middle is allowed to hang out at the video games on his own leaving him buddyless. Unfortunately, this hasn’t worked out too well for him. Today we shopped at Target for Amy’s homework supplies to decorate a pumpkin as Fancy Nancy. After checking out and loading the car, Sarah questions, "Uh, where’s Noah?" We forgot him! Again! One day Target is going to gain a night employee. Sorry Noah!

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Wassup!

Alright Youtube, I’m giving you another chance because this video is just plain funny and has a great end.

Its been eight long years since the boys said wassup to each other. Even with the effects of a down economy and imminent change in the White House, the boys are still able to come together and stay true to what really matters.

For reference, here is the original wassup commerical:

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Instead of Stacey Campfield…

Since we don’t want to vote for Stacey Campfield, and he is running unopposed, who should we write-in? I always do myself but wouldn’t it be cool to actually see a write-in candidate show up in the numbers? For that to happen, we would all have to write the same name. Feel free to write-in "Doug McCaughan" but I think maybe it should be an easier name and better qualified like "Randy Neal" (maybe we ask Randy first)

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County Charter Amendments in Plain English?

Update Oct 29, 2008: My interpretation is now posted. Click THIS LINK to read the explanation of the Charter Amendments as explained by the County Law Director’s Office. If you are looking for a quick answer and want to vote my decision, vote (1) Yes, (2) Yes, (3) No, and (4) No.

I was just looking over the Sample Ballot for the General Election in Knox County, TN November 4, 2008. There are 5 potentially confusing choices that may leave many voters guessing. Has anyone put the Charter Amendment questions and the Liquor Referendum into plain English?

The questions are:

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT QUESTION 1
Question 1: Shall the Knox County Charter be amended as follows: The Knox County Charter Section 9.05 D is hereby amended to delete the phrase “Not more than sixty (60) days and not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the next general election next following its appointment” and to substitute the following language: “In accordance with Section 9.05E” and to delete only the first sentence of Section 9.06 E, and to substitute the following two sentences: Any and all proposed charter amendments to be submitted to the voters of the County shall be submitted to the Knox County Election Commission in accordance with state law. The County Election Commission shall submit any Charter amendments certified and delivered to it, in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9.05, to the voters of the county at the next regular State or County election following the delivery to the County Election Commission of the ordinance or petition proposing the amendment?

Update from explanation: This is a housekeeping amendment to bring our county into conformance with state law. In short, the amendment says, "Amendments can be added to the ballot."

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT QUESTION 2
Question 2: Shall the Knox County Charter be amended as follows: Section 9.05 of the Knox County Charter dealing with the composition of and the selection process for the members of a Charter Review Committee is amended by deleting Subsections D. and E. in their entirety and substituting the following: D. Within certain prescribed time periods, but not less than every eight years, a Charter Review Committee will review this Charter to determine the need for amendments. The committee shall be composed of 27 members with 1 member of the County Commission from each commission district to be nominated by the Commission, 9 non-commission members who are registered Knox County voters nominated by the Commission and 9 noncommission members who are registered Knox County voters nominated by the Knox County Mayor. Only 2 noncommission members shall be nominated from each commission district. The Commission shall vote upon each nominee individually. If the nominee does not receive a majority of votes, then whoever nominated that nominee shall nominate someone new. E. Proposed Charter amendments shall be submitted to the Election Commission in accordance with state law?

Update from explanation: This is also a housekeeping amendment. Apparently the current charter does not explicitly state how the composition of a Charter Review Committee (that is, who makes up the committee). I looked for the actual wording in the current charter but could not find it. So, as a matter of housekeeping, this question adds that language to the charter.

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT QUESTION 3
Question 3: Shall the Knox County Charter be amended [1] to reduce the number of commissioners elected by the people from nineteen (19) to eleven (11) so that each commission district will have only one (1) instead of two (2) elected representatives along with two (2) at-large commissioners elected in a County-wide vote so that seven Commission Seats shall be elected in the County primary and general election of 2010 for an initial extended term of six (6) years and every four (4) years thereafter while four (4) Commission Seats shall be elected in the County primary and general election of 2010 and every four (4) years thereafter; [2] to insure no person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Commission who is employed in any other position by Knox County; [3] to adopt a nepotism policy prohibiting an elected or appointed official from recommending, supervising, or causing employment of his or her relative to an office or position of employment within Knox County government and; [4] to require elected or appointed officials to disclose, prior to voting, any conflict of interest in any matter and recuse him/herself from the discussion and/or vote on the matter?

Update from explanation: This question is actually two unrelated questions in one. The first half of the question is asking do we reduce the number of county commissioners from 19 to 11. Each commission district would be reduced from 2 representatives to 1. And 2 at-large commissioners who would serve county wide and not be bound to district. This is similar to the way the city government works. So if you feel the city’s representation of the people is effective, then that part of the question is a YES vote. If you feel the city’s government is ineffective, then that half of the question is a NO vote.

The second half of the question regards a nepotism policy which obviously prohibits family from supervising or influencing employment of a relative. It also says that no person drawing a paycheck from Knox County would be able to serve as a commissioner. For example, a Knox County school teacher could not also be a Knox County Commissioner.

This is a tough question simply because the first half has to weigh between less overhead in our county government versus less representation. And the second half has to do with eliminating the good ol’ boy network in our county government (again, my interpretation, not the County Law Director’s Office). However, you cannot vote NO to half and YES to the other half. Your vote is either FOR or AGAINST.

COUNTY CHARTER AMENDMENT QUESTION 4
Question 4: Shall the Knox County Charter be amended [1] to take away from the people the ability to vote for the County Trustee, County Clerk, and Register of Deeds by changing these elected offices to administrative offices appointed by the Mayor subject to Commission approval effective September 1, 2010; [2] to take away from the people the ability to vote for the County Law Director by changing this elected office to an office appointed by the Mayor, subject to Commission approval, and subject to removal by two-thirds of the Commission for fraud or malfeasance, effective September 1, 2012; [3] to give the Mayor the power, with Commission approval, to create or eliminate major departments of county government and to appoint all department directors, subject to removal for cause by two-thirds of the Commission; [4] eliminate the office of County Auditor and put in its place an Inspector General to be appointed by the Commission for a six (6) year term, effective September 1, 2010; and [5] adopt a conflict of interest policy requiring elected and appointed county officials to disclose their personal interest in any matter requiring an exercise of discretion and to recuse himself/herself from participating in the matter?

Update from explanation: Right now, the positions of County Trustee, County Clerk, Register of Deeds and County Law Director are all elected positions. If you live in the county, you get to vote for the people who hold those positions. This question proposes that those four positions will no longer be elected. Instead the Mayor will appoint those positions.

LIQUOR REFERENDUM
[ ]For legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Knox County.
[ ]Against legal sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises in Knox County.

Update from explanation: There are not overreaching implications of this question. Either we want to be able to have liquor by the drink served in bars and restaurants in the county, just like we do in the city, or we don’t.

To review and my recommendations:

  1. (YES) Housekeeping
  2. (YES) Housekeeping
  3. (NO) Two unrelated questions: a) reduce the number of commissioners b) Instate a nepotism policy
  4. (NO) Change 4 elected positions to positions appointed by the Mayor

Please post your thoughts in comments. I will be looking for an explanation online and possibly adding my own interpretation.

Michael Silence’s poll says the Amendments won’t pass.

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Well lemme tell you sonny!

I’ve entered the last year of my youth. Today I am 39. In October 2009, the Boy Scouts of America will make me fill out new forms to make sure I’m not dead before leaving for outings, I’ll get to check a new checkbox on everyone’s forms (35-39, 40-dead). And apparently all innovation happens between 20-29 or 30-39 so this is my last year to become famous (you know I was supposed to retire at 35 right?). Tim requested this post so that we could avoid talking about the Antichrist or that I’ve become an old fart. Al I can say is, "I’m not dead yet!" (And thanks to all for the birthday wishes in Twitter and in the comments on Reality Me. You all are great!)